Manchester

Manchester Wizo Council raised £33,000 at a coffee morning to celebrate the 90th anniversary of Wizo UK. The event, held at the Hale home of Mark and Gabrielle Adlestone, attracted more than 100 people, including Wizo UK chair Loraine Warren and honorary secretary Michele Pollock. The morning was organised by Hilary Black, who masterminded a brochure for the event.

Bury and Whitefield Jewish Primary Parents and Teacher Association presented a cheque for £4,699 to the school. The funds, raised by producing a school calendar, brings the total raised by the PTA to almost £7,000 over the last school year.

Fifty northern business representatives were primed on how to link up with Israeli science companies. Gil Erez, Minister for Commercial Affairs at the Israeli Embassy, spoke on investing in Israel's life sciences sector. Gideon Klaus of the British-Israel Chamber of Commerce North West, said: "The North has 200,000 companies with an infrastructure that's right for doing business with Israel." The meeting was held at Deloitte's offices in central Manchester.

Modern-day anti-Zionism is assuming the guise of pre-1948 arguments against the formation of Israel. This was the message from Rory Miller, senior lecturer in Mediterranean studies at King's College in his address to a Manchester Jewish Historical Society meeting. The event attracted more than 60 people and was held at the Manchester Jewish Museum.

A firework was aimed at members of a strictly Orthodox North Manchester synagogue last weekend, and antisemitic graffiti scrawled on its window.

A rocket was lobbed from a passing car as members of Beis Mordechai Synagogue in Prestwich gathered outside after evening prayers on Sunday, and the words "scruffy Jewish Basterd [sic]" were scrawled across a window.

Police are treating the graffiti as racially aggravated criminal damage, but the firework attack was not thought specifically to target Jewish people.

Habonim Dror and Jewish Agency emissary Yahal Porat will be returning to Israel after three years in Manchester. During his tenure he served on the Yom Ha'atzmaut committee, Salute to Israel parade and brought Israel awareness to local Jewish schools. Mr Porat said: "I have spent the most significant time of my life in Manchester bringing Israel to the community. It hasn't always been easy but I would do it again." Replacing Mr Porat will be Ido Horowitz, 29.

Some 200 people took part in a procession for a new Sefer Torah to mark Cheetham Hebrew Congregation's 50th anniversary. The new scroll was completed on Sunday at Holy Law South Broughton Congregation and then taken in procession the half-mile to Cheetham Hebrew's premises, in the Jewish Cultural Centre on Bury Old Road. A celebratory dinner was held in the evening. Synagogue president Bernard Stone said: "The procession was the pinnacle of my presidency - singing, dancing and children - the emotional Judaism at the event was beautiful."

A £250,000 refurbishment programme is under way at Manchester's Broughton Jewish Primary.
Funded by a local authority grant, the project will provide tutor rooms and a remodelled reception area and administrative offices.

The building work - due to be completed in January - reflects a growing pupil population. "The number of students increases every year," governor Leonard Seitler said.